Reliance-Ridings Chapel UMC

Reliance-Ridings Chapel UMC Reliance and Ridings Chapel are two small country churches of gospel-living people following Jesus into our community.

01/21/2026

Today's readings are Genesis 42:18-43:34, Psalm 18:16-36, Proverbs 4:7-10, and Matthew 13:47-14:12

From the devotional Passio-Dei

Perhaps the greater danger in our spiritual development is that Jesus becomes too familiar. We think we know him intimately. He’s our friend and companion. We think we can predict what he’ll say or do. So sometimes we fail to actually consult him. We assume we understand his limitations in the cold hard reality of human brokenness. We see hurting people not getting better. We see people repeatedly take advantage of the church and we become jaded. We find ourselves experiencing compassion fatigue.

But does this limit him? Do we think there are things this carpenter from Nazareth can’t do in our own life and ministry? Are there broken places in us, where he can do “no deeds of power, because of our lack of faith?” Are we caught in a bad cycle so long that we give up? It’s when we trust him and lean not on our own understanding that he takes us to places we could have never imagined.

Are there ways Jesus has become too familiar? Are the places in our life where he can “do no miracles?” Is our church a community where we never give up on one another?

Have a blessed day and stay warm.

01/20/2026

Today’s readings are Genesis 41:17-42:17, Psalm 18:1-15, Proverbs 4:1-6, and Matthew 13:24-46

From Passio-Dei

Anyone present from the Sowers Union that day would give Jesus a massive fine for a terrible story. Good sowers prepare the soil. They place the seed in neat little rows. They water and fertilize. They don’t waste precious seeds! Yet, Jesus says a good sower throws seed everywhere. The parable bears witness to the profuse nature of God’s extravagant love.

We can cultivate safe communities of compassion where people find healing. A church of reckless sowers. Not w**d pullers.

What if Christians could become reckless sowers in the way of Jesus? Casting the seeds of God’s love all over the place? Experimenting, taking risks, and failing forward as we sow the liberating gospel in every nook and cranny of our daily lives? What if we stopped trying to be w**d-pullers for God and just unconditionally loved every person we encounter?

Have a blessed day and stay warm and remember to check up on neighbors and friends this week and always.

01/17/2026

Tomorrow’s scripture will be from John 1:29-42 and the title of the message will be “Come and See”

Have a blessed day and I will see you all tomorrow morning.

01/16/2026

Today’s readings are Genesis 32:13-34:31, Psalm 14:1-7, Proverbs 3:19-20, and Matthew 11:7-30

From the devotional Passio-Dei

People who seem to not have scars may have them in places that are not visible. Jacob contended with God and men and yet through his tenacity and perseverance prevailed, receiving a new name, Israel. The name is given to his descendants who struggled with God. Yet, Jacob would walk with a limp for the rest of his life.

In our own contending with God and men, we must remain yoked with Jesus. We can’t walk without him holding us up. Our weakness is made perfect in the strength of Christ. It’s our ongoing dependence on him that gives us the strength to go limping through this life. We also must come away from the work and rest. He is always inviting us there. Always inviting us to take on the light yoke.

Questions to think about: What’s our limp? How do we stay yoked with Jesus? Is our church a community where we understand that every person has wounds that Jesus longs to heal?

Have a blessed rest of the day and great weekend! Tomorrow I will share the scripture for Sunday and the title. Remember you are loved and remember that we are to follow the one who is the Lamb of God.

01/15/2026

Today's readings are Genesis 31:17-32:12, Psalm 13:1-6, Proverbs 3:16-18, and Matthew 10:24-11:6

From the devotional Passio-Dei

Jesus prepares the disciples to deal with critics. If they malign the teacher, they will certainly malign the students. If Jesus faced opposition and critique, we can expect that we will also as we follow him.

Carrying our cross includes facing opposition and critique. In the midst of this very challenging teaching, Jesus reminds us to remember our value: I take care of the sparrows, right? Don’t worry, you are worth more than many sparrows. Jesus is teaching the disciples to know their worth. You have infinite value. Know that opposition will come. But your personhood is grounded in my love for you.

Our worth is rooted in our identity in Christ. We are people of great value and sacred worth. Only through centering ourselves in that belovedness can we truly follow Jesus through the challenges of life.

Questions for today/week: How do we deal with critics? Do we wrestle with a sense of self-worth? Do we know our true value in Christ? Is our church a community where we help people know their true worth?

Have a blessed day and stay warm. Please know you are loved and held especially in times of despair and trouble.

01/14/2026

Today’s readings are Genesis 30:1-31:16, Psalm 12:1-8, Proverbs 3:13-15, and Matthew 10:1-23

From the devotional Passio-Dei

Jesus sends the twelve in his own power and authority to be an extension of himself. They are to do the same things Jesus is doing. There is a posture of vulnerability here. Travel light. Find the persons of peace who welcome you. You are dependent on their hospitality. There is a mutuality of relationship here.

We can cause great harm when we think we bring everything to the ones we are sent to. We don’t bring Jesus with us to fix people and their communities. In actuality, the Holy Spirit is already there before us and we always find Jesus in the face of our other.

The world is not sent to us—we are sent out into the world. We are sent in love. Sent to listen. Sent to build relationships with the welcomers and persons of peace.

Questions for today/week: Are we looking for people of peace and building relationships? Is our church a community where we are always playing host or learning to be guests?

Have a blessed day and remember you're loved and cared for.

01/13/2026

Today’s readings are Genesis 28:1-29:35, Psalm 11:1-7, Proverbs 3:11-12, and Matthew 9:18-38

From the devotional Passio-Dei

When Jesus “saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Amid a string of miracles, each in some way disruptive to what Jesus was doing, he stopped to heal. He didn’t see these situations as disruptions, rather he saw them as people in need of healing.

When we see Jesus responding with gut-wrenching compassion, we are glimpsing the anatomy of God’s own heart. We are also seeing something central to who we are as people created in the image of God.
The quality of God’s being is expressed through immersion in human vulnerability and suffering. The church as the “body of Christ” in the world is an expression of Christ’s own compassion.

Questions for our day/week: How will we embody compassion today? Is our church a community where we embody the compassion of Jesus together?

Have a blessed day and remember you are loved!

01/13/2026

Today’s readings are Genesis 26:17-27:46, Psalm 10:16-18, Proverbs 3:9-10, and Matthew 9:1-17

From the devotional Passio-Dei

The religious leaders question why Jesus is hanging out with unclean people. Here Christ reveals the heart of his ministry: I’ve come to heal the sick. His compassion is open for all people, especially those excluded and marginalized by exclusive self-righteous religious systems.

Jesus delivers a parable about old and new wineskins. You don’t put new wine in an old skin. It's as if Jesus is saying to the religious guardians of the status quo, “I’ve got this new wine, this new way of love I want to pour into you, but if I poured into you in the current state of your hardened hearts and rigid systems… it would burst you.”

Questions for this night/week: Are there places in our own souls that have become overly rigid and hardened? Are we extending our table to others whom society deems sketchy? Is our church a community where both vintage and fresh forms of church are celebrated and supported?

Have a blessed week and stay warm, it’s going to get a little chilly out there. God Bless and remember Jesus Loves You.

01/09/2026

Today’s readings are Genesis 20:1-22:24, Psalm 9:1-12, Proverbs 2:16-22, and Matthew 7:15-29 the Key passage comes from Matthew 7:15-20

A church grounded in the compassion of Jesus understands our primary function is to love. We are to love people unconditionally, suspending our flawed judgments. Many people feel uncomfortable coming into the church because they feel they will be judged.

While we are not called to judge—that’s the job of God alone—however we are given spiritual insight to “know a tree by its fruit.” In some sense, we are called to be fruit inspectors. This discernment is important when it comes to being the church in the world. The ultimate responsibility of community leaders is to do no harm.

Spiritual leadership is not about gifts, ability, charisma, or power; it’s about relationships. It’s about the ability to love the people around us and work together for the greater good.

Questions to ponder about today: Are we willing to let other people whom we trust inspect the spiritual fruit of our lives? Is our church a community of fruit inspectors where we seek to cultivate a kingdom harvest together?

Have a blessed day and remember that love is a fruit of the spirit. Are we showing fruit today to people?

01/08/2026

Today's readings are Genesis 18:16-19:38, Psalm 8:1-9, Proverbs 2:6-15, Matthew 6:25-7:14

In our devotional this morning Michael Beck talks about how his church in Ocala Fl, has a weekly dinner church on Wednesday’s because his congregation told him of the communities food insecurity problems.

In the recovery community there’s a saying, “One day at a time.” Many people in the fellowship don’t realize the original source. The idea of being present and not stuck with our heads in the past or worried about what might come tomorrow is drawn from the teaching of Jesus himself: “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” This is simple, but not easy.

Small experiments. Short-term thinking. Empowerment. Partnerships. Shared leadership. This is essential to living “one day at a time.”

Questions for the day: Are we living life just for today and grateful for God’s provision all around us? Are we being truly present with people in the moment?

Have a blessed day and God Bless! Tomorrow is a new day, but don’t worry about tomorrow, today has it’s on worries. But we know we don’t go through them alone. God is with us!

01/07/2026

Today’s readings are from Genesis 16:1-18:15, Psalm 7:1-17, Proverbs 2:1-5, and Matthew 6:1-24. Key passage for the devotion comes from Matthew 6:19-21

From Passio-Dei by Michael Beck

One of Jesus’s favorite topics is money. Right after his essential teaching on prayer, he warns us about “storing up for ourselves treasures on earth.” Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. We live in a fallen economic system that is all about extracting, monetizing, consuming, and accumulating extra.

Caring for our world is a biblical mandate reaching back to Genesis to God’s call to “till and keep”
God has entrusted us to stewardship and if we are people of compassion, we need to be compassionate with the very good planet he created for us.

Questions for the day: What do we treasure? For what we treasure sits on the throne of our hearts. What brings us comfort and stability?

I pray that you can get out in this beautiful weather today. God Bless You, and I’ll “see” you tomorrow.

01/06/2026

Today's readings are Genesis 13:5-15:21, Psalm 6:1-10, Proverbs 1:29-33, and Matthew 5:27-48 and the key passage for the devotional is Matthew 5:38-39, 43-45

Michael Beck shares with us today that the Sermon on the Mount is in a sense interpretive leadership. Meaning that Jesus challenges the religious systems of his day. Not a big surprise is it? His interpretation is compassion.

Jesus tells us to love our enemies and bless them. Not what Leviticus 24 teaches us. We as Christians need to read the Old Testament through the lens of Jesus. We too needs to operate under a system of forgiveness and love, as Jesus taught his disciples. We need to put down our stones and take up our crosses.

Questions: Have we given forgiveness to those who sought to harm us? Is our church a community where we practice the plan meaning of compassion?

Have a wonderful Tuesday and God Bless You all on this day of Epiphany!

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Reliance, VA
22645

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